Patrick Mahomes will have to continue playing without his expected blindside protector for a little longer. Ahead of a Week 7 “Sunday Night Football” road game against the Seattle Seahawks, the 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs are placing left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve, Rick Burkholder announced Thursday.
Burkholder, the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, gave reporters a detailed timeline of Simmons’ bulging herniated disc in his lumbar spine, a back injury that kept the second-year pro out all season.
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In the process, Burkholder, now in his 14th season with the Chiefs, explained that, while Simmons returned to practice in a limited capacity last week, Kansas City’s medical staff did not consider the 2025 No. 32 overall picks ready for game action.
“We feel like he’s up in the rehab process as he tries to get to the final stages of recovery to return to competition, and he’s not there yet,” Burkholder said. “After discussion with Josh yesterday, we gave him some time to talk with his family and his representatives to investigate next steps as he goes through this process.”
That’s why Simmons was listed with both “personal” and “back” next to his name on the team’s injury report after missing practice Wednesday, Burkholder explained.
Simmons was allowed the day off to be with his family and agent. Burkholder said everyone, including Simmons and head coach Andy Reid, agreed Simmons should be placed on IR “to give him more time to get back to full function.”
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At this point, Simmons’ back injury still does not require surgery, according to Burkholder.
Burkholder said Simmons came to him with calf discomfort on Aug. 17. At the time, the Ohio State product announced he “couldn’t post on one leg in training camp drills.”
The leg in question is the same leg on which he suffered a season-ending knee injury that required surgery during his last stint with the Buckeyes.
“He was examined by our physician, who thankfully suspected a low back injury instead of a lower leg or knee ailment,” Burkholder noted Thursday.
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An MRI confirmed Simmons’ bulging herniated disc.
“That disc problem was higher than what we normally see with our offensive linemen, which complicated the case,” Burkholder added.
In general, the Chiefs recommended a second opinion. Simmons’ team selected a spine specialist in California who had previously worked with the organization. He was recommended for rehab and, remarkably, not surgery. Another MRI a few weeks later showed that the disc had improved, Burkholder said.
“Throughout this process, we’ve been talking to second opinions a lot, with our doctors and Josh and his agent,” Burkholder continued. “Josh worked his tail off. He worked diligently with my staff every day.”
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Now the earliest the 23-year-old Simmons can make his 2026 debut is Week 11, given his IR designation, which requires him to miss at least four games.
The Chiefs host the Arizona Cardinals that week. In the meantime, they have to play the Seahawks on the road, at the Denver Broncos, a home game against the New York Jets and an away game against the Atlanta Falcons.
With Simmons’ most recent loss, the Chiefs relied on former undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson.
A season removed from helping Indiana win the national title, he became the head of the Chiefs camp and earned the chance to start in place of Simmons. That role comes with tremendous responsibility, considering Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL.
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Even though he wasn’t perfect, Benson still didn’t allow a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. Plus, he was part of a Kansas City o-line that paved the way for a rushing attack that featured running back Kenneth Walker III, who led the NFL with 665 yards on the ground this season.
However, what about having Simmons. After missing a portion of his final season at Ohio State, he played in just eight games as a rookie for the Chiefs last season.
Simmons missed four games with an undisclosed family matter and another five after undergoing surgery on his left wrist, which he injured in a Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys.